Page 61 of Silencing Stolen Whispers
“What did you do?” Kinsley prompted when Jade fell silent.
“Nothing,” Jade admitted, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “I stood there, in shock. Dr. Reeves must have sensed that someone was at the door, because while Hannah was kissing his neck, he looked right at me. I practically ran all the way across campus to our apartment.”
“Did you confront Hannah?”
“I waited up for her. The second she walked through the door, I just... exploded. I asked her how long she'd been sleeping with our professor. I even suggested it was why she'd been getting such good grades.”
Kinsley easily pictured the scene Jade had just described—two young women in a tight apartment, one defensive, the other accusatory. The ugliness of hidden secrets exposed had been enough to damage a friendship beyond repair.
“Hannah denied it at first, of course,” Jade continued, her voice cracking with emotion. “She told me that I must be mistaken. That I didn’t know what I was talking about.”
Kinsley’s knee began to ache from staying so long in a kneeling position, so she adjusted her weight slightly to rest her good knee on the cobblestone.
“I told her that I didn’t hear it from anyone else. I saw what happened with my own two eyes. I described everything down to the last detail, and then she just... fell apart.” Jade's lips quivered as she remembered the confrontation. “Hannah started crying, begging me not to tell anyone. She admitted that their affair had started during a private tutoring session and had gotten out of control.”
“Did Hannah seem afraid?” Kinsley asked, searching for any indication that Hannah might have been coerced. “Maybe even pressured into the affair?”
Jade shook her head slowly.
“Not of him. She was afraid of what would happen if anyone discovered the truth. She kept saying that her parents couldn’tknow. That they expected perfection, and something like this would destroy her family.”
The wind rustled through the trees above them, a soft whisper that seemed to highlight the seriousness of the confession. It was the deep voice over the radio that elicited a response from Kinsley. She slowly stood, giving her knee time to adjust, and took a step to the side.
“Repeat?”
“I’ve lost sight of Reeves. He was spotted heading through the east entrance, but that was right before your last radio call.”
“Check for his vehicle,” Kinsley directed as she scanned the faces of those departing the courtyard. “Alex?”
“I’m already in the east campus parking lot.”
Kinsley surveyed those she wanted to question after learning about the affair. William and Katherine were currently having a conversation with a group of students to the right, Bailey was still underneath a large oak, while Nick and Sienna were delayed by Patty Bigsby.
Not wasting any more time, Kinsley turned back to Jade and Courtney. She didn’t bother to downplay the sense of urgency.
“You agreed to keep Hannah’s secret?”
“Yes.”
“What was in the envelope that you just gave to Dr. Reeves?”
“I was giving him back his money.” Jade edged forward on the bench, as if she were about to beg for understanding. “The day after I found out about the affair, Dr. Reeves asked me to stay after class. He didn't threaten me, not directly. He just asked how my mother was doing with her treatments. He said he understood my struggles, and he could help me...with my grades and my finances.”
“Reeves paid for your silence.”
Kinsley had all she needed to detain Dr. Victor Reeves.
“All officers, converge on the east parking lot. Do not let Dr. Reeves leave the premises. I need that vehicle blocked, now.”
Kinsley pivoted, her gaze once again sweeping across the courtyard as the remnants of the vigil dispersed into small, somber clusters. From her vantage point, Katherine and William were still in sight. Neither seemed aware of the quiet drama unfolding at the edges of their daughter's memorial.
Kinsley searched for the only other person whose reaction to such an affair could have ended in violence. Unfortunately, Nick Ryder was guiding Sienna Webster toward the north exit.Kinsley quickly turned back to the bench where Jade and Courtney sat, their faces tense in the dim light. Jade's gaze was lowered, locked on her hands, which had finally stopped trembling in her lap.
“Jade,” Kinsley said, keeping her voice low despite their relative isolation. “Did Nick Ryder know about the affair between Hannah and Dr. Reeves?”
Jade shook her head, the movement small and precise.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Jade replied, her gaze seeking out the topic of their discussion. “I don’t think Nick is capable of murder, if that’s where you’re going with this. It was Dr. Reeves who?—”
